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Norwest Equity Partners said Oct. 3 that it invested in Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Financial terms weren’t announced. Integrative Nutrition, of New York, is a health coaching school. BMO Capital Markets advised Integrative Nutrition on the transaction, while Jones Day provided legal services for NEP. PennantPark Investment Advisers provided senior debt financing and Norwest Mezzanine Partners provided subordinated debt financing.

RESS RELEASE

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Norwest Equity Partners (“NEP”), a leading middle market investment firm founded in 1961, has made a significant investment in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, (“Integrative Nutrition” or the “Company”), the largest and oldest professional health coaching certification program worldwide. NEP’s investment marks the first time Integrative Nutrition has partnered with an investor, marking a significant milestone that will help the Company add incremental course offerings, diversified content, and expand its geographic reach. The transaction closed on October 1, 2018; financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded in 1992 by Joshua Rosenthal, Integrative Nutrition was once a small classroom of passionate students in New York City, and has since grown to be the largest health coaching school in the world, providing a global learning experience through its innovative online learning platform for approximately 100,000 students and graduates in over 150 countries worldwide. Offering an innovative, 6 or 12 month long Health Coach Training Program, Integrative Nutrition has positioned itself to help change the landscape of health and wellness around the world. The Company’s holistic program teaches dietary theories as well as personal development philosophy, health coaching, and business skills through a well-regarded network of world-class educators and guest lecturers, including the world’s leading physicians, researchers, doctors, and nutrition experts.
Tim DeVries, NEP Managing Partner, stated, “With continued significant momentum in the health coaching industry, Integrative Nutrition has grown to be a unique and innovative company that offers an original approach to health and wellness training. With a highly-scalable program driven by industry-leading content, we are confident that the combination of our capital and resources will help propel additional capabilities and knowledge for health professionals across the board. We are really excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to see Integrative Nutrition continue to drive the expansion of the nutrition and health coaching industry.”
To date, NEP has built a broad active lifestyle/health & wellness portfolio through focused industry investments in addition to Integrative Nutrition, including Wahoo, Movati Athletic, The Edge Fitness, and Life Time Fitness. As part of NEP’s breadth of resources, Integrative Nutrition will work closely with Mike Gerend and Mark Thom, NEP dedicated operating partners and active lifestyle industry veterans, who bring relevant experience across active lifestyle, health and wellness, consumer, and technology companies. In addition to helping source and evaluate investment opportunities for NEP, Gerend and Thom play an active role in strategic planning, business growth, and corporate governance for portfolio companies.
Gerend shared, “We are excited about both the continued expansion of NEP’s active lifestyle platform to include health & wellness and the growth prospects for Integrative Nutrition. Health coaching is on the forefront of revolutionizing the approach to helping people live healthier, and Integrative Nutrition is leading the way. This investment partnership will provide them with the necessary resources to expand aggressively across a number of sectors and segments.”
BMO Capital Markets advised Integrative Nutrition on the transaction; Jones Day provided legal services for NEP; PennantPark Investment Advisers provided senior debt financing; and Norwest Mezzanine Partners provided subordinated debt financing.
Integrative Nutrition is headquartered in New York City and employs over 100 people. More information can be found on integrativenutrition.com and nep.com.